Metal Guardians
by Dorrica
Summary: A young man, desperate for money, takes a low-paying job as a night time security guard at a family pizzeria. What he thinks will be an easy job turns out to be a struggle for survival when he realizes the robotic mascots seem to have a mind of their own, with a history of attacking the night watchmen. But he soon discovers there may very well be more to their motivations...
1. Prologue

**Title: **Metal Guardians

**Summary: **A young man, desperate for money, takes a low-paying job as a night time security guard at a family pizzeria. What he thinks will be an easy job turns out to be a struggle for survival when he realizes the robotic mascots seem to have a mind of their own, with a history of attacking the night watchmen. But he soon discovers there may very well be more to their motivations than simply mistaken identity.

**Rating:** T (for language and violence)

**Disclaimer:** The game "Five Nights at Freddy's" is property of Scott Cawthon. I make no profit from these writings.

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Mike Schmidt had thought the job would be fairly simple. A six hour shift keeping watch over a family pizzeria. Assuming all went well, and vandals didn't try to break in to cause any damage to the property, it was probably the easiest job one could ask for. The pay, however, was horrid, he had to admit. But his situation was a difficult one, and beggars couldn't be choosers when it came to paying the bills and putting food on the table. It was just a temporary thing. He was still looking through ads and checking in at local retail stores in search of better work, but until that happened, he had to settle for what he could get. He had already had the electricity cut off once. He didn't want to get behind on any other bills.

The interview was nothing special. He had showed up ten minutes early, clean shaven and wearing a nice red polo shirt, neatly tucked into a pair of khakis, hoping to make a good impression. The interview had barely lasted ten minutes before the manager of the eatery shook his hand, affirming he had the job.

_"What about meal breaks? I don't actually clock out to eat, do I?"_

_"No, there isn't a scheduled break for this type of job, since you're the only one working the shift and don't have anyone to cover for you. You're more than welcome to bring a sandwich from home and eat it in the office while on duty if you'd like."_

His first shift started Monday at twelve a.m. He had to admit it was going to take some getting used to with coming into work at twelve midnight and getting off at six in the morning. His entire sleeping schedule would have to be reversed.

_"What time does the pizzeria actually close? I know I'm starting my shift at midnight, but the place doesn't actually close at that hour, does it?"_

_"Oh no, it closes at nine on the weekdays and ten on Fridays and Saturdays. Either me or my assistant manager will always help close up the place, make sure everything's ready for the next day. All the dishes have to be washed, carpets have to be vacuumed and the floors mopped. It's usually around fifteen till midnight that we finally wrap things up. But don't worry, me or my assistant Charlie will be waiting for you to come in before we lock the place up. Prep work usually starts at six thirty in the morning, but me or Charlie always come in at six to relieve security."_

Mike wasn't completely unfamiliar with the pizzeria. It had been around for decades, and he had been a patron himself once. It was rather disheartening to see the place falling under hard times. But he knew the reasons for it. The stories, the rumors….they could kill a business in an instant. It had been several years ago that an employee of the restaurant (a daytime security guard) had lured two children into the back room, where they were brutally murdered, their bodies stuffed into the furry costumes the employees would occasionally wear while walking around the floor of the dining hall to entertain the children. Evidence had later revealed that the children had been sexually abused before being killed, leading detectives to suspect they were probably killed only because they had fought back. It was a horrendous crime, and it was made even more horrendous by the fact that some people took a sick pleasure in adding fuel to the fire. Rumors quickly spread about how more children had actually gone missing but were never found, leaving ignorant people to suspect a coverup on the part of the restaurant. This inspired some people to take it even further by claiming to have seen blood and mucus secreting from the eyes and mouthes of the animatronic characters, implying that the children's bodies had been stuffed inside them and left to rot.

_"I'm….sure you've heard a lot of stories about this place…."_

Mike had held up a hand before the manager could say another word._ "Yes, I have, and I also have a brain and am more than capable of using it. I know how people are when it comes to shit like that. People love spreading rumors….and they'll believe anything they hear."_

The manager had nodded his head solemnly in agreement. _"It was just such a disgusting crime. How anyone could possibly get a thrill by trying to make it even worse….It just boggles the mind! The restaurant was under different management when the murders occurred, but the anger and accusations fell into my lap when I took over. Things have calmed over the years, yes, but…the damage is done. This place will be closing its doors at the end of the year." _

_"I'm sorry."_

_"It is what it is. Come on…I'll take you back to the office and show you how to check the cameras. Umm….listen, I should point out that the animatronic characters can occasionally act up a little during the night hours."_

_"Act up?"_

ooooooo

_Night One_

_"Oh, hello! Ugh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night…."_

Mike had shown up at the restaurant just five minutes till midnight, meeting the manager, Phil at the front entrance of the restaurant as he was locking the doors. _"Good luck," _he had said to him, which wouldn't have been such a big deal, but the way he had said it had been very unsettling. He pondered it for only a brief moment before setting his concentration on the job ahead of him. He had went straight back to the office and sat his lunch bag down on the desk, hardly bothered by the silence of the restaurant. For some, the eeriness of a usually cheerful and energetic environment being deathly silent would have been too much, but Mike always favored silence.

_"So just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Ugh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. They used to be allowed to walk around during the day, too, but then there was the Bite of '87. Yeah…"_

The newly employed security guard had been four hours into his shift when he had seen something quite literally out of place on one of the cameras.

_"Now concerning your safety, the only risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters…if they happen to see you after hours, probably won't recognize you as a person."_

The character closest to the camera had been the first to move. A few glances at all the cameras hadn't revealed anything at first, but he had eventually spotted the large, seven foot tall rabbit standing in the center of the dining area. It had stayed there for quite some time before eventually migrating into the east hall. The time could not have gone by any slower from that point on.

_"They'll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to…forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit."_

Mike had kept a close watch on the cameras for the remainder of his shift. The two remaining characters still resumed their positions on stage, but the rabbit had continued roaming about through the pizzeria, until finally making an appearance in the darkened doorway of the office. Mike had reacted quickly, shutting the large metal door before the animatronic could enter the office. He had scoffed, almost laughing out loud as he remembered the manager saying the doors had been installed as a way of converting the office into a panic room in case of armed robbers entering the establishment. Oh, it was a panic room all right, but certainly not for robbers.

_"Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up."_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I must be out of my mind. I got sucked into this fandom so hard, so fast….and I've never even played the freakin' game. I should point out that the animatronics aren't haunted in this story, as I really don't like the idea of them being haunted by the spirits of dead children. Some other details HAVE been changed, as you've already read, and if that bothers some people, I apologize. This idea has been swimming around in my head for about a week now, and I'm not so sure how well it's going to turn out. This story was originally going to be a one-shot, but I found myself wanting to go a little deeper with it. I can't picture this story being very long, probably no more than five chapters, if that. I've already started working on chapter 2, though I'm not sure when it'll be up.


	2. Unique

Chapter I: **Unique**

**6:03 A.M.**

Though his shift had ended three minutes ago, Mike wasn't too keen on moving just yet. His heart pounded almost painfully against his chest as he sat cowering in his seat. After a moment's hesitation, he finally glanced at the camera positioned at the show stage, surprised to see that the purple bunny had returned to its original position. Still he did not move for several minutes, watching that stage to make sure the animatronics did not move again. He finally made a break for it, punching out quickly and heading straight for the front doors. The door had opened before he could even turn the lock, causing the skittish security guard to jump back in surprise.

"Oh, good morning," Phil greeted him as he stepped into the darkened restaurant.

"Like hell it is!" Mike snapped, continuously glancing towards the stage. "Is this some kind of joke?" he growled. Phil's expression changed somewhat, though it wasn't a look of surprise.

"Look, son, I understand you're a bit rattled after the last few hours-"

"RATTLED?!" Mike put his hands to his head, running his fingers through the already messy locks, which were now dampened with sweat. "You just told me the characters sometimes wander around at night! Sure, it's a little creepy, but I can handle that! Trying to stuff me in a suit, however, is a bit much!"

Phil suddenly looked alarmed. "Did they attack you?"

"They _tried_ to! One of them, anyway! And I probably wouldn't have known what was coming if that guy hadn't left me the message!"

"What guy?"

"Your previous security guard!"

The man's face fell slightly. "Oh, you mean Kyle."

"Yeah, whatever his name is. He told me these things would stuff me in a suit if they saw me! Is this how you people get your sick kicks around here? Am I being punked?"

Phil pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. "It's not a joke. Look, it's not like I could tell you the truth. You never would have taken the job otherwise."

Mike's expression darkened. "Have these things ever hurt one of your security guards? You better tell me the truth," he growled, pointing an accusing finger at the larger man.

"No, but Kyle was a fairly close call, though not the closest we've had."

Mike could feel his face growing hot with anger. "And exactly how much did you have to pay him to keep his mouth shut?"

"Well…that's just it. No one ever bothers to say anything. They know better. Do you really think you can walk into a police station and tell the authorities about giant animatronics that come to life every night and try to kill you _without _having them laugh in your face? And they usually quit after the first night, anyway, so there's really no risk of them coming back with a video recorder to get proof."

"Why the hell would you even _need _security?!"

"We _have _had instances of vandalism, Mr. Schmidt. It _is _a concern, but…we're less concerned with keeping people out and more so with keeping_ them_ in_," _Phil responded firmly as he nodded towards the stage. "I…I really don't know what would happen if they got out. I don't know that they'd even _try _to get out. But…I'd rather not take the risk."

Mike turned away, pressing his forehead against the wall. "So I'm just a distraction for them," he replied quietly. "I just don't even understand how they're capable of anything like this. They're just robots! How is it possible?"

"Incredibly advanced artificial intelligence, I suppose."

"But they're children's mascots! Why would they need to be that advanced?" Mike groaned, rubbing his temples in agitation. He shot the other man a perplexed glance. "Why don't you just destroy them and have them replaced if you know they're dangerous?"

Phil looked away. "I can't."

"Why the hell not?"

"I just can't! They're….unique."

"Unique?! You'd seriously risk the lives of your employees because you think these things are too _unique?_!"

A deflated look descended upon the manager's face, and he lowered his gaze to the grungy tiled floor. He slowly reached his hand into his pocket, pulling out a black leather wallet. "I understand completely if you walk out that door and never come back. I'll….I'll pay you for the first night, though it's not going to be a lot." The man slipped out a twenty, holding it between his index and middle finger as he tried to fish out a five. Mike fell into a long silence, glaring daggers at the older man standing before him.

"Give me one good reason why I _should _stay," he snapped. Phil slowly looked up, his hazel eyes reflecting heavy stress.

"There is no good reason, son. I wish I could give you one." He held out the small sum of money for Mike to take. "It's your choice."

"You seriously want me to return to a job where I act as a laser dot for these things to chase around all night?"

Phil could no longer respond at this point. He just waited for the inevitable cry of 'I quit!' to come shooting out of Mike's mouth any moment. So many others had done the same. Why should he be any different?

There came a long, exasperated sigh from the younger man. "I'll come back, for two reasons: one, I need money _now_. I think that one was obvious. My situation has hit a critical point, and I have no other options right now. And two….I really can't stand the thought of you tricking some other guy into this mess, because I know that's exactly what you're going to do once I walk away. So…I'll be back tonight."

Phil nodded slowly, returning his wallet to his pocket. "Charlie's the closing manager tonight. He'll be waiting for you."

Mike brushed past the elder man and started through the door, only managing to get one foot onto the sidewalk outside when he heard the manager speak up abruptly:

"I _do _want you to protect them, you know." Mike glanced back at him, his gaze stern. "This isn't just a matter of you keeping them busy. People…People are so crazy with their conspiracy theories and getting people stirred up with crazy rumors. We _have _had rocks thrown through the windows and nasty messages spray painted on the walls outside. Because of idiots spreading stories around about missing children being stuffed in the mascots, one of my biggest fears is that someone's going to try and break in and open them up to see if it's true."

"Scared for the robots, or scared for the person breaking in?"

"Both."

Mike held the man's gaze for a long moment, his jaw clenching slightly. "I'll be back tonight," he snapped, continuing on his way out and storming towards his car. Once inside, he started the engine and allowed it to warm up before making his departure. He leaned back agains the cracked, leather seat, slumping into it slightly as he stared out into the darkness. "Why couldn't they have hired me as the bus boy?" he mumbled tiredly. Of course now he knew he had no reason to go on being angry about the situation. He _could _have walked away and never looked back, but he had chosen to stay. He just hoped he'd live long enough to question that choice.

Pulling up in front of the small brick house residing on the corner of the street, Mike slowly slid out, nearly stumbling face first into the grass. The house almost seemed further out of reach with each step he took, and he was having a difficult time trying to remember which pocket it was he had shoved his keys. After about three tries, he finally managed to get the key into the lock and open the door with a loud creak. The stuffy house was a welcome sight, even if it _was _in desperate need of some tidying up. He shuffled his way through the darkened hallway, content with idea of just kicking off his shoes and collapsing onto the bed, too tired to even undress out of his uniform. His eyes shifted, briefly glancing at the closed door on his right as he passed, a door that hadn't been opened in several months. He winced inwardly as he passed it. He always did.

Mike managed to maneuver his way through the nearly pitch black bedroom, kicking aside an old worn out tennis shoe that had lost its partner some time ago. He fell onto the bed with a soft grunt, sleep overcoming him almost instantly. Of course it wouldn't be the most peaceful slumber, as images of large, animatronic animals trying to kill him haunted his dreams.

ooooooo

_Night Two_

He didn't know why he thought the second night would possibly be any easier.

_"Hello? Hello? Uh, well if you're hearing this and you made it to day two, uh…congrats!"_

The urge to strangle the person who had recorded these messages was becoming overwhelming.

_"I won't talk quite as long this time since Freddy and his friends tend to become more active as the week progresses."_

Mike realized how true Kyle's words had been when he had checked the camera just thirty minutes into his shift and noticed the bunny had already left the stage. A few searches finally revealed its location in the east hall, its frame only a dark silhouette against the flickering light hanging above. Looking away from the screen of the laptop, he did a quick scan of his surroundings, wondering if there was anything in the office that could possibly be used as a weapon if one of those things managed to get inside. He knew he was never supposed to lay a hand on the mascots, but he was now in a state of self-preservation, and he'd do whatever needed to be done to defend himself, even if that meant turning those things into a pile of scrap metal. If he got fired for it, so be it.

Despite his fear, he still watched their movements with fascination. He feared these things, yes, but he also wondered how they were able to do the things they did. How was it they were able to…._look _at him and actually acknowledge his presence? Even if they mistakenly thought he was a metal endoskeleton, how were they able to even see him at _all_? They were just hunks of moving metal with a voice box installed inside them. Even the concept of 'A.I.' didn't really sit well with him. Why would a simple little business like a family pizzeria even want high tech machines that were capable of reasoning and problem solving? Was it really neccesarry? Was _this _what had actually brought him back to this place? Did he just have a morbid curiosity?

_"Also, check on the curtain in Pirate Cove from time to time. The character in there seems unique in that he only becomes more active if the cameras remain off for long periods of time."_

It was odd to hear this portion of the message, as Pirate Cove was one of the few places he checked. He was constantly switching back and forth between the show stage, the dining hall and the hallways. Thankfully, there didn't appear to be any activity that he could see when he did check, but he still made it a top priority to check ever minute or so.

**2:13 A.M.**

Another glance at the show stage revealed that only one character (Freddy) now remained in place. Mike's heart leapt into his throat as he scrambled to find where the second character had gotten to. It took a few moments, but he was finally able to spot the chicken near the restrooms, its large frame almost completely shrouded in darkness. After pinpointing the chicken's location, he looked away from the screen momentarily to shine his flashlight towards the doorway, nearly jumping out of his skin when he saw the illuminated purple face of the rabbit. Mike slammed his fist against the red button near the doorway, slamming the door shut and locking the animatronic outside.

"Living in my car is starting to not sound like such a bad thing after all," the man mumbled shakily, going back over to monitor the cameras again.

**4:20 A.M.**

Mike checked the show stage for what had to be the fiftieth time that night, nearly taking a step back when he saw that Freddy had turned to look straight into the camera now. He snapped his head to the right when he heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. "No, you don't," he growled as he went to shut the door, a chill running down his spine as he heard the sound of fingers tapping against glass. Wiping away the beads of sweat that were now dotting his paling face, he turned back to the cameras once again, switching over to Pirate Cove. He nearly screamed.

Two glowing eyes were now peering through the purple curtains, a large metal maw full of sharp teeth hanging wide open. He let out a deep, shuddering breath. It was bad enough when he only had to worry about the three characters on stage. Now there was _this _guy.

"All right…what're you gonna do?" he whispered to himself as he stared back at the shadowed animatronic.

**5:43 A.M.**

He was in the final stretch now, though he knew anything could happen at any moment. By this point the large fox had ventured out from behind the curtains and was now standing out in the open, its head cocked to one side.

It was during the final minutes of his shift that the two most active animatronics had simultaneously made an appearance at both doors, forcing Mike shut them both. From that point on, he glued his eyes to his wrist watch, occasionally taking a look at Pirate Cove.

_Five….four…three…two…._

**6:00 A.M.**

Mike held his breath for what felt like an eternity. His entire body trembling, he very cautiously opened both doors, shining his flashlight into the doorway to make sure everything was clear. All was quiet, save for his own heavy breathing.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Wow, I was blown away by how much attention this story received. Over 500 hits in less than a week! Thanks a ton for all the follows and faves! I really hadn't even planned on updating quite this soon, but all the positive feedback drove me to publish this a little sooner. I really hope this story doesn't disappoint. There've been some amazing stories here as of recently, and I while I can't say this one will even come close to matching their creativity and brilliance, I still hope I can give readers something they'll enjoy and become invested in.


	3. The Bite of '87

Chapter II: **The Bite of '87**

_Night Three_

He was just two hours into his shift when Mike saw activity in Pirate Cove. This particular animatronic was becoming a bigger concern for him with each passing night, as he didn't know how aggressive it was. He had become accustomed to Bonnie and Chica and could almost predict their next move. The fox was a different matter, as well as Freddy, who still had not left the stage yet, though he still peered into the camera from time to time.

**2:50 A.M.**

Mike's blood nearly froze in his veins as he switched the camera to Pirate Cove, only to see that the curtains were open, and the stage was completely empty. The fox was nowhere in sight, leading Mike to panic and frantically search through each camera in the hopes of spotting him. Switching to the west hall camera immediately revealed the damaged animatronic making a mad dash for the office, prompting Mike to jump out of his seat and practically throw himself against the door button. It was a mere two seconds after the door had shut that he heard a loud metallic thump, as though the robot had thrown himself against the door. Mike backed away, hand instinctively reaching out towards the desk in search of a blunt object. As he heard the animatronic begin to bang on the door repeatedly, Mike grabbed for the small fan resting near the edge of the desk. He gave it a powerful tug, causing the plug to come flying out of the outlet. He held it up with a fierce glare, not knowing how effective it'd be as a weapon. The banging ceased, however, and he heard the sound of metal footsteps fading down the hall.

Slowly putting the fan down on the desk, Mike switched the camera over to Pirate Cove, noticing that the animatronic had taken its position back behind the curtain, though it was still peering at the camera, its eyes glowing. His curiosity regarding this particular mascot only seemed to escalate each time he caught a glance of the 'Out of Order' sign posted in front of the stage. It had been out of order for years, as far as he knew.

_"They used to be allowed to walk around during the day, too, but then there was the Bite of '87…"_

Mike plopped down in his chair, his intense gaze still focused on Pirate Cove. "It was you…wasn't it?" he whispered.

Sighing tiredly, Mike shifted his focus to the other cameras, when he saw that, for the first time ever, the show stage was completely empty. "Great, now the bear's on the move," he hissed. He searched through each camera again and again, becoming frustrated when he could not find the animatronic. It was around the third glance of the dining hall that he finally took notice of something that hadn't been there before: two small glowing orbs of light. Eyes narrowing, he leaned closer to the screen. "Is that…?" The orbs suddenly vanished, causing Mike to pale slightly. He scanned the other cameras, pinpointing Bonnie and Chica's location, while moving to activate the door lights to make sure none of the robots were waiting outside his door. He shined his flashlight down both hallways, just to make sure no one was making their way towards him. The west hall was clear, but when he shined his light down the east hall, he was once again greeted with the sight of the two glowing orbs. Jerking back into the office, Mike quickly shut the door, not wanting to take any chances. He pressed his head against the cold metal of the door, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his temple. "And the night's not even half way over yet."

_"Things start getting real tonight."_

Those words echoed loudly in his mind the rest of the night.

ooooooo

Mike was startled awake by the harsh buzzing of his alarm clock. He reached over to switch it off, knocking over a glass of water in the process. Sliding out of bed, he made his way over to the window and tugged the dark bedsheets off the windows, allowing the afternoon light to pour into the darkened bedroom. He winced and turned away, stumbling out of the bedroom and making his way into the kitchen. Getting up at twelve o' clock in the afternoon still wasn't something he was used to. The urge to go crawl back under the covers and sleep for another three hours was pretty strong, and he probably would have done just that if it weren't for the fact that he had something he needed to do.

He only lingered around the house for another hour or so, long enough to down two cups of coffee and shower and dress before leaving his home hastily. He drove into town, eyes scanning the left side of the street for his desired destination. He almost had to slam on his brake as the building snuck up on him. He turned quickly, finding the parking lot nearly empty. He hadn't set foot in a library for close to five years, as he had a terrible habit of never returning the books when they were due. Of course he wasn't here to check out any books.

Stepping through the front entrance, Mike immediately cringed and began rubbing his arms as he noted the air conditioning was set very low, which gave him even more reason to get out of here as quickly as possible. His eyes scanned across the various book shelves and tables in search of the computers.

"How are you, sir?" a young woman greeted him. "Can I help you find anything today?"

"No, thank you. Just need to use one of your computers."

"Yes, sir, they're right over there," the woman replied as she nodded towards the row of computers on the other side of the library, each one housed in its own cubicle.

After nodding to the librarian, Mike quickly made his way over to one of the available computers, wishing he still had internet service at home. It was just one of several things he had to do away with in order to get by.

Once he had accessed the internet, he took to Google and immediately began looking up the history of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Pretty much every search result focused on the murders that had occurred several years ago, which wasn't a surprise. Even the restaurant's Wikipedia page had a large section devoted to the crimes. Of course, the murders weren't news to him. He needed information on the incident that was vaguely mentioned to him by the previous night guard. He didn't think asking the manager about it would get him many answers. Not honest ones, anyway.

Scrolling back up to the search bar, he hastily typed the words 'Freddy Fazbear 1987 incident' and searched. This immediately earned him a wide range of specific results to choose from. He sought out the result that seemed the most detailed in the summary and immediately went from there, going down the list of results. The story was pretty much the same within each article he read: the animatronic known as 'Foxy' had, without warning, bitten down on the skull of an adult who had been dining at the pizzeria with his wife and son, causing severe injury which resulted in the man being rushed to the hospital, where he stayed for several weeks. The man had sustained serious damage to his frontal lobe, practically reducing him to a vegetable. This of course put the robotic Fox out of order, though Mike had to wonder why they kept the thing if they never had any intention of using him again.

The incident had been written off as a malfunction, which was hardly a surprise. It _seemed _like the most sensible answer, but Mike just wasn't satisfied with that, not after seeing what these things were capable of. He spent the next several minutes searching vigorously, hoping he'd stumble upon some piece of information that would click. He was about to call it quits when he stumbled upon one particular article around the fourth page of search results. The article was mostly a rehashing of the same story he had already read about a dozen times, but within the article were quotes from eye witnesses who had been there that fateful night. He skimmed through some of them, his hope for new answers waining as they became more and more repetitive. It wasn't until he got to the very last one that he actually sat up in his seat, leaning towards the computer screen.

_"I'll never forget that moment. My daughter and I were seated at one of the tables, not too far from the fox's stage. My daughter always wanted us to sit as close as we could to the fox because he was her favorite. I've been to that place so many times I've pretty much memorized every song and routine those robots performed. I know exactly when they're going to perform and exactly what they're going to say. The fox was in the middle of one of his stories, which I could easily recite in my sleep I've heard it so many times. And then the next thing I see is this little boy, probably about four years old toddling across the floor towards the robot. I thought nothing of it at first until I start hearing this man yelling at the kid to come back to him. At first he just seemed like a typical, stressed out parent who was trying to wrangle their kid….but then he started getting louder, which was drawing the attention of everyone else in the dining room. The guy really looked like he didn't want to be there, and I remember seeing his wife trying to calm him down. The boy paid his dad no attention and kept walking towards the robot. At this point the kid actually looked terrified, and I remember seeing him ducking behind the robot's legs as his dad approached him. The guy was practically screaming at the boy at this point, and pretty much every last customer and staff member was looking his way. _

_"Then something really strange happened, and I swear, I think I'm the only person who noticed it. The robot just stopped talking. The only reason it stood out to me is because I've seen their routines so many times that it was hard for me _not _to notice it. And it didn't appear to be a malfunction. Its voice didn't glitch out or wind down or anything. It just stopped speaking all of a sudden, and even stranger than that was that it actually looked at the guy yelling at his kid. It was the eeriest thing. The next thing I see is the dad actually grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him away from the robot pretty aggressively, and then he just starts spanking him repeatedly and not lightly either. It was way over the top, honestly, even if the kid _was _misbehaving. The next thing that happened….I'll never forget. It happened so fast I almost didn't see it happen at all. God knows I, nor anyone else was expecting it. But the next thing I see is that robot biting down on the man's skull. I remember grabbing my daughter and covering her eyes from the scene. There was blood everywhere….on the man, on the robot, on the floor…..It was awful. The whole restaurant was in a panic, and I remember employees trying to pry the robot's jaw off the man's head. I know people want to say it was a malfunction, but it just didn't look like it to me. It was almost as if that robot deliberately attacked that man for hitting that little boy. I know I probably just have an overactive imagination, but from the moment that thing stopped talking to the moment it bit down on that guy's head just seemed so….intentional."_

Mike leaned back in his seat, his eyes momentarily drifting away from the screen. He didn't know how this new information was supposed to make him feel. Perhaps this witness _did _have an overactive imagination, but it was hard to dismiss what this person had said when he himself had been relentlessly pursued by these robots night after night. Did they really think he was just an endoskeleton without a costume, or did they see him as something else? What of the other employees who worked within the restaurant before and after business hours? Why weren't they targeted? What of the workers who spent all their time in the kitchen and weren't seen by the robots during business hours? If he was to believe the explanation that was given to him, wouldn't those people be targeted as well? Why him specifically? Why every other security guard before him?

_"On the night of June 26th, 1997, two small children were lured into the back room of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza where they were brutally murdered and stuffed inside the empty suits of the restaurant's mascots..."_

_"Video footage showed a man in a Freddy Fazbear costume interacting with the victims shortly before they were reported missing…."_

_"DNA evidence recovered from the victims lead to the arrest and conviction of Travis Garner, a part time security guard for the pizzeria…"_

Mike suddenly went stiff in his seat as he recalled the countless news articles he had read, alarm bells going off in his head. It was hard to dismiss it as coincidence. This _was_ a battle of good versus evil he was fighting after all. And_ he_ was the bad guy.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Once again, thanks so much for all the great feedback and faves! It's been a huge motivator! :) I know this idea has been thrown around before, on here and on tumblr, but I just wanted to explore it myself because I'm a big fan of this theory.


	4. Olive Branch

Chapter III:** Olive Branch**

The familiar feeling of anxiousness swelled deep in the pit of Mike's stomach as the pizzeria came into view. He glanced at the clock on his dash for the umpteenth time, feeling compelled to count down every last minute until his next shift began. He still had a fairly big block of time left, thankfully, as it was only three thirty. After leaving the library, he had gone straight home, where he spent a considerable amount of time just pacing, his mind a buzzing hive of thoughts. He had tried going back to sleep, which had proved futile. Nothing he did could possibly loosen the firm grip this new information had on his mind. He couldn't ignore it. He had to address this issue, somehow.

Entering through the front door, Mike spared a very brief glance at the show stage just off to his right, seeing that the curtains were drawn and there was no activity. Scanning his eyes across the dining room, he saw only a small handful of people, which didn't surprise him. There hadn't been much of a crowd the last time he had been there during business hours, either. It was no wonder the restaurant was closing its doors.

"Mike?"

Mike looked over to see the manager steadily making his way towards him, noticeably surprised.

"I thought you'd be at home in bed about this time," Phil stated as he glanced at the time on his watch.

"Well, I can't sleep _all _day. I had some errands to run, and I realized I haven't eaten anything other than a piece of toast all day. Employees eat free, right? I think I deserve a free pizza after the last few nights I've had," Mike replied, laughing softly.

Phil still looked rather confused. "Well, yes, but…I didn't think you'd want to be here a second longer than you needed to. There's all kinds of fast food restaurants along this road. Why stop here?"

Mike jumped slightly when he heard music begin to play as the curtains to the stage opened up, revealing the animatronic band as they greeted the children seated at the front. "I don't know. Maybe if I spend a little time here during the day….it won't seem so bad at night. I know that's probably just wishful thinking."

"Well…be my guest. If anyone questions why you're here, just tell them you work here. If they seem doubtful, just send them my way and I'll straighten it out. People can't help but be cautious, especially after what happened years ago."

Mike only nodded once as he shot another glance at the stage behind him. He made his way towards the back, seating himself far away from everyone else, while trying to place himself as close to Pirate Cove as he could. He was thankful to see that none of the other patrons even seemed to notice his presence, as their attention was focused on the singing animatronics. Within minutes, a waitress brought him a small drink and a single slice of pizza, which he quickly dug into. He realized just _how _hungry he was the moment he laid eyes on it. As he polished off the crust, he shifted his eyes and glanced at the purple curtains just over his shoulders, wondering if he could spot the fox's face through the small gap. Though he couldn't actually see what stood behind those curtains, it still caused him unease.

The young man periodically glanced back and forth between the main stage and Pirate Cove, taking small sips of his fountain drink as he tried to work up the courage to make his move. Fifteen minutes came and went, and he was still planted firmly in his seat, contemplating whether he should just forget the whole thing and leave. The music had stopped playing, and the animatronic band was now shielded behind the curtains once again. Drumming his fingers anxiously against the table, Mike looked elsewhere, noticing Phil talking to a man near the front entrance. His brows furrowed as he watched their mannerisms, noticing the man moving his arms around in an agitated fashion, while Phil continuously held up his hands in what appeared to be an attempt to calm the man down. Unable to brush off his curiosity, Mike rose from his seat and passed between two rows of tables, making his way towards the two men. As he drew nearer, parts of their conversation became audible.

"Sir, I'm not going to ask you again. I'm trying to be patient here, but if you don't leave right now, I'll call the police."

"Sure, bring the police into this. The police _need _to investigate this place!"

In that instant, Mike knew exactly what this confrontation was about, and he nearly rolled his eyes. "Is everything all right here?" he interjected before he could stop himself. The man turned towards him sharply.

"No, it's not!" he barked, earning a sigh from Phil, who actually looked more _tired_ than angry, a clear indication that this was a frequent occurrence. "This place shouldn't even be operating! It should have closed down years ago! I heard there were _five_ kids who went missing! They vanished days after the first two were found! That bastard probably had an accomplice. I'll betcha anything it was the manager!"

Mike sighed in annoyance, pressing his hand against his forehead. "I think you're a few eggs short of an omelette."

"Listen here, you lunatic. Jerry was a very close, personal friend of mine, and those murders left him broken and riddled with guilt to the point where he had to retire. And then idiots like you drove him into depression with their accusations and death threats!"

"Well maybe that guilt was a sign he knew something!"

Mike quickly stepped forward and placed himself between the two men as he noticed Phil take a step towards the other, looking ready to attack him. At this point, customers were starting to look their way.

"I've heard people say their bodies were stuffed inside those robots!"

Mike had finally had enough.

"God, do you have no sense at all? If there were corpses rotting inside those robots, people wouldn't be able to set foot in this place. The smell would be so bad, it'd knock them off their feet the second they stepped through the front door!"

"Well, I've heard people saying they saw blood around their eyes and mouths!"

"You know, I'm noticing a pattern with your wording here: 'I heard this', 'I heard that'. What someone says doesn't mean _shit. _Only someone with the mental capacity of a four-year-old would believe everything they heard. Is there seriously nothing better you can do with your time? I'm sure there are much bigger mysteries that could use your particular set of critical thinking skills. Like whether or not the chupacabra exists._" _

The man sneered. "Yeah, go ahead and joke about it. Shows how callous you are. I pray to God you never reproduce, since you probably wouldn't even notice or care if your kid ever vanished."

Phil's eyes widened slightly as he saw Mike move with lightening speed, grabbing the man by the collar and pulling him close to his face, nearly lifting him off his feet. "Say that to me again. I dare you," he growled. It was now Phil's turn to intervene. He separated the two before they could start trading blows, which he struggled to do as Mike now seemed determined to tear the man's head off. He firmly took a hold of the man's shirt sleeve and started guiding him towards the door.

"I want you out of here _now." _He threw the door open and pushed the man out, watching to make sure he was off the property before finally pulling the door closed again. He glanced back at Mike, noticing he was red in the face and was visibly trembling.

"How often does that happen?" he finally asked after taking a moment to collect himself.

"Probably about once a month. As frustrating as it is, I've gotten fairly used to it. The only thing that really bothers me about it is people like him tend to make a scene, and then it scares the few customers we have. We have only a small handful of customers who have remained loyal throughout the years, despite the tragedies. The rest of our customer base is people who have moved here in the last few years or so and have no knowledge of what took place here. So then when people like _him _come in here and start making a fuss, we risk losing those customers as well. Though…I suppose now it doesn't matter."

Mike sighed tiredly, rubbing the back of his head. He glanced towards Pirate Cove, suddenly remembering why he had come here in the first place. "Well…I'm going to finish up here and head out in a few minutes. I could probably stand to get a few more hours worth of sleep before coming in."

"All right, then," Phil replied with a nod as he headed for his office.

Mike returned to his seat, ignoring the stares he was receiving from some of the customers seated at the front. Music had once again filled the room, and the animatronic band had started playing again, though Mike hardly noticed it now. He was now sitting sideways in his chair, eyes settled on the shadowed stage just feet away from him. _Stop being a coward and do it._

Rising out of his chair, Mike very slowly began making his way towards the isolated stage, always making sure no one was looking his way. He took a few steps, paused, took a few steps, and then paused again. He quickly made his way up the small set of steps located near the far end of the stage, slipping through a thin gap in the curtain. Once inside, he was able to make out the outlines of various props scattered across the stage, including a large plastic palm tree and treasure chest. He placed his hand against the fake tree, dragging his fingers against the textured trunk. A thick layer of dust coated his fingers, emphasizing just how long this place had sat unattended. Eyes shifting, Mike was able to make out the animatronic's silhouette at the center of the stage, a strip of dull light extending down its face and torso as it peered out through the gap in the curtains. It was a rather pitiful sight, he had to admit.

Swallowing nervously, Mike very cautiously began making his way towards the still animatronic. He braced himself as he moved to stand directly in front of it, expecting it to roar to life at that very moment and reach for him, but the robot remained silent and still as it now stared directly at him. Mike exhaled slowly, wishing he had been better prepared for what he was about to say.

"Um…hi. Look, ugh…I really don't know if you can even hear me or understand me right now, but….I'm just going to assume you can, okay? I….God, I feel like an idiot." Mike looked away momentarily, scratching his eyebrow. "You might not recognize me, but I'm the new night watchman. You know….the guy you've been trying to kill," Mike added with a nervous laugh. "Needless to say, I expected a lot of things when I came to work here, but being hunted by seemingly sentient animatronic animals wasn't one of them." Still there was silence from the robot. "I still don't understand how it's possible, but honestly….I've been more concerned with the 'why' than the 'how'. I wanted answers, and I knew I had to find them myself." Mike paused again, waiting for a reaction from the animatronic, but still he was met with silence. "I know it was you. The whole 'Bite of '87', as they call it. Seeing as how you've been out of order all these years, I suspected it must have been you." Slowly, Mike's apprehension began to subside, and his voice became more confident. "And I know what happened. The little boy….I know. Before I read about it, I didn't understand anything. Now I understand everything. You….Them," the man added as he turned to nod towards the trio of animatronics on the show stage. "I get it. You were just trying to protect that boy, and you ended up taking it too far. Maybe you didn't mean to…I don't know." Turning back to the fox, Mike's features softened. "You owe your very existence to the children who set foot through those doors. You want to protect them…but for once, you couldn't. Maybe you blame yourselves. Maybe you all think attacking me and every guard who sets foot in this place will make up for it. It's the only way you can make sure it doesn't happen again."

Mike glanced down at his feet as he felt a tightness in his chest.

"I know that feeling. I know what it feels like….to feel helpless. To sit back and not be able to do anything as you watch a child suffer….and know it's your _job _to protect them and make sure no harm comes to them. Though you know in your heart and mind there was nothing you could possibly do, you still feel like you failed them." Mike raised his head slightly, though he didn't quite make eye contact with the fox. "I had a son. His name was Sammy. I really wasn't ready for a kid….and neither was my girlfriend. After he was born, everything fell apart between us, and she finally just threw her hands up in defeat. I got custody, and she left me. It's been a year since I last spoke to her. I was only twenty-two at the time, way too young to be a single father. I was making a decent living for someone my age, so money wasn't a huge issue, but I spent so much time working and not enough time with him. There was never a night I went to bed _not _feeling guilty." Mike paused for a moment, smiling softly as he recalled various memories. "Sammy was a very imaginative kid. He knew how to take what little he had and make the most of it. Oh, and you'll love this….He loved pirates more than anything, and he never grew out of it, either. He even dressed up like a pirate for Halloween two years in a row. He was obsessed. He would convert his bed into a pirate ship and pretend the floor was shark infested waters. He even took a paper towel roll and pretended it was a spyglass and used a stick for a sword. Like I said, he could make the most out of anything."

Mike's face suddenly became very grim. His voice became softer as he forced himself to continue.

"He was diagnosed with leukemia when he was five years old. _Five. _Honestly….I really don't think he understood the severity of what was happening, and I guess I didn't want him to. The outlook wasn't good, but it didn't seem to bother him. Nothing was going to slow him down." At this point, Mike's voice began to quiver slightly. "Even when he was in and out of hospitals, getting poked and prodded, he always managed a smile. But I knew he was terrified, no matter how hard he tried not to let on. What child _wouldn't _be terrified as they were going through all that? The treatments took a lot out of him, and he was always asking me when he was going to get better, and I….just couldn't give him a straight answer." The man cleared his throat as he blinked away tears. "When he….started losing his hair, he saw it as an opportunity. He had a black bandana that he wore with his pirate costume. You know, with the skull and crossbones. He saw it as an excuse to dress like a pirate every day, and it seemed to help keep his spirits up. It made him feel confident. It's like he forgot he was sick sometimes." Mike was now finding it difficult to speak, and he had to pause to collect himself.

"This was the last place I brought him…before his health made a rapid decline. I knew there'd come a point where he wouldn't be able to even get out of bed. I asked him…." Mike clenched his teeth as he suppressed a sob. "I asked him if there was any place special he wanted to go, and _this _was the place he chose. I was obviously hesitant. I knew about the murders, and I didn't really feel comfortable bringing him here. But he had his heart set on it, and given the circumstances, how was I going to say no?" Mike paused again and smiled. "It was worth it. To see him that happy….it was all worth it. I hadn't seen him that happy in a long time…but it didn't last. All throughout dinner, he kept looking over here and asking me what was behind these curtains, and I honestly didn't know. He asked if he could go have a look but of course I told him no. I knew it was driving him crazy, so I managed to wave down the assistant manager and ask him what this place was. When Sammy heard the words 'Pirate Cove', naturally, his face lit up. He asked over and over again if he could check it out but he couldn't, obviously. He asked why you were out of order and….well, he just said you were 'sick' and that you had been for a long time. Obviously he didn't want to tell us what really happened, and for good reason. Telling a child you were just 'sick' seemed like a more simplistic way of explaining it, I guess." Mike went silent again, turning to peer through the curtains at the three animatronics moving around on stage. "When he said you were 'sick', Sammy took off his bandana and told the manager that he was sick, too. He said…" Mike couldn't hold it back this time, and he let out a single, anguished sob. "He s-said that wearing the bandana made him feel better….That it made him feel strong. And he….he wanted to give it to you because…because he thought it'd make you feel better, too!" he cried as he covered his mouth, finally conceding to his emotions. His shoulders shook as he sobbed hysterically, tears flowing freely.

It took several minutes for the man to finally calm himself. He pressed his hands against his eyes and wiped away the wetness, sniffling loudly. "He…He didn't know any better," he continued hoarsely. "It made perfect sense to him, but he was only five. Of course the manager still couldn't let him back here, and I know it crushed him. He was pretty quiet the rest of the night." Mike let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes. "He passed away two months later….and I was out of a job. I had taken so much time off work while he was sick that they just told me not to come back. I've been struggling ever since."

There came another long pause as Mike turned away for a moment, willing himself not to break down again. "Believe me….the last thing I would ever do is hurt a child. I would give anything in the world just to have mine _back. _I just want you to understand that….while I can respect you wanting to protect children, I can't respect you hurting innocent people….which is exactly what you're doing. You might not realize it, but you are. I'm not the man who killed those kids, and it's not your fault they were killed. There was nothing any of you could have done to prevent it, and trying to hurt me and every other security guard who gets hired here doesn't solve a damn thing. I hope you can understand that," he finished quietly as he firmly looked the robot in the eye, looking for some indication that he understood. "Anyway….thanks for listening, I guess. I mean…I don't know that you even heard a word I just said, but….it still felt good to talk about it, which I don't do very often."

Getting no reply from the fox, Mike's gaze shifted to the floor once again. He slowly lifted his right hand and slid it into the pocket of his jeans, withdrawing a slightly faded, wrinkled, pirate's bandana. He stared down at it momentarily before glancing back up at the animatronic. He took a few steps forward, lowering his gaze as he gingerly slipped the bandana inside the fox's metal hand. He lowered his head and stepped around the robot, leaving the stage in silence.

Moments later, there came a slight, metallic creaking sound as the animatronic's hand slowly closed around the bandana.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I'm just going to leave this here and go lie in a pool of my own tears.


	5. Standoff

Chapter IV: **Standoff**

_Night Four_

Mike really didn't know what to expect that night. He knew the animatronics were likely to be more active, but could he expect Foxy's behavior to be any different? He had seen no indication that the robotic fox had even heard a word he had spoken to him, so he saw little reason to believe anything had changed. Though he didn't regret pouring his heart out to the animatronic, he still deeply wished he had made some sort of connection. But even if he had, he still had Freddy and his band to worry about.

_"Ugh, hey, listen, I may not be around to send you a message tomorrow. It's been a bad night here for me."_

Upon playing the final message, Mike was able to hear a loud, banging sound in the background.

_"Ugh, hey, do me a favor. Maybe sometime…ugh, you could check inside those suits in the back room? I'm gonna try and hold out until someone checks. Maybe it won't be so bad."_

The banging sound had persisted, and Mike could feel chills running down his spine as he heard what sounded like a pained moan.

_"…Oh no." _

Mike jumped slightly when he heard a brief, loud screeching sound before the message was cut off abruptly. "Jesus," he whispered in shock, placing a hand to his chest.

After taking a moment to process what he had just heard, Mike turned his attention to the cameras. He did a quick scan of the main stage and Pirate Cove, finding no movement from any of the mascots. For a solid half hour, everything was calm, without even so much as a glimpse of the fox peeking out from behind the curtain. Being this late in the week, Mike had been certain the animatronics would be all over him right now, but the night was still young.

**12:33 A.M**

Finally, there was the first sign of activity. Bonnie was on the move, as per usual, and the guard was poised and ready to slam his fist against the door button when the rabbit appeared. He knew it was only a matter of minutes. He had done well to conserve the limited power supply he was given night after night, but he knew tonight was crucial. Though he could usually predict the robots' movements and behaviors, he knew better than to underestimate them.

A quick search revealed the rabbit's location in the dining hall. He stared at the purple animatronic for a few moments before switching over to Pirate Cove, only to find the curtains drawn back and the stage completely deserted.

Speaking of underestimating….

Mike audibly gasped, nearly dropping the laptop as he scrambled to shut the door. He sat back in his chair, breathing heavily as he waited for the fox to come tearing down the hallway and start banging on the door loudly. He waited for what felt like minutes, but he heard nothing. Taking the cautious route, he turned back to his laptop and took a quick glance at the west hall to see if he could spot the fox, but the hall was empty. He then switched the camera back to Pirate Cove, brows furrowing in confusion. Just like the hallway, it was empty as well.

"Where did he…?"

Mike's breath hitched in his throat as he turned his attention to the camera in the dining hall. Bonnie still stood between two rows of tables, but as he looked near the bottom of the screen, he was able to make out the back of Foxy's head. Mike frowned deeply as he got up to open the door, seeing as how there was no sense in keeping it down. _What' the hell's he doing? _Looking back at the camera, he could see Bonnie attempting to move around the fox, but the worn down animatronic kept placing himself in the rabbit's path. Foxy repeated this action as Bonnie tried again and again to get around him, clearly determined to keep him isolated to the dining hall. This went on for about twenty minutes or so before the rabbit finally retreated into the shadows. Foxy remained, however, always managing to stay within view of the camera.

Sparing a quick glance at the stage camera, he saw that Chica had moved from her position as well. He scanned through the other cameras in search of the chicken, but he wasn't able to make out her large frame anywhere. The lighting was incredibly poor, so he knew it was easy for her to hide. He frequently looked at the camera in the east hall, as that was generally where she would appear during her pursuit but still he saw no sign of her. Mike thought that she might have been able to slip down the hall without being detected, but he soon found out that she hadn't even made it past the dining hall, much like Bonnie. The two animatronics were now facing Foxy together, all three of them staring each other down intensely.

The standoff went on for hours. Mike was literally kept at the edge of his seat as he watched the interaction, occasionally forgetting to breathe. Neither robot managed to get past the fox, as many times as they attempted. But towards the end of his shift, their patience had finally worn too thin. Bonnie became aggressive, reaching for the fox and violently shoving him. The two animatronics grappled with each other, with Foxy mostly taking the defensive position. He never struck first. Chica eventually inserted herself into the scuffle when Bonnie could not successfully bring the fox down by himself. The three of them eventually disappeared off camera, nearly prompting Mike to leave the office and attempt to put a stop to the dispute.

Freddy suddenly emerged from the shadows for the first time, walking straight towards the camera before finally stepping out of view completely. Within seconds, he noticed the bear reemerge, pulling Bonnie along by the arm. Chica reappeared as well, following closely behind the other two animatronics as they made their way back towards the main stage. Mike waited around for the fox to reappear on camera, but he never did.

**6:00 A.M.**

Mike only waited a few minutes before deciding to venture out of the office, his curiosity too intense to ignore. He very slowly stepped through the doorway, stretching his neck out and peering down the hall to make sure all was clear. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he started down the hall, his footsteps echoing loudly against the hard, checkered floor. He held his breath as he neared the end of the hall, not sure what to expect once he rounded the corner. In all honesty, he thought he'd be prepared for what he would see, but he wasn't.

The animatronic fox was lying on his back, his limbs and head twitching as he repeatedly attempted to sit up. Mike approached him slowly, face softening as he took in the amount of damage the robot had received. Strips of fur were littered across the floor, and Mike was able to see more of his already exposed chest. One of his arms was twisted nearly to the point of coming off completely, and his entire lower jaw had been ripped from his face, exposing the teeth of the endoskeleton. Mike quickly dismissed all fear right then and there and knelt beside the animatronic. "Easy," he said gently, almost finding his actions ridiculous. It was as though he was trying to soothe a wounded animal, but as far as he was concerned, that was exactly what this was, albeit an animal made of metal and wires rather than flesh and blood. It hardly mattered to him _what _this creature was. All he knew was that it, _he_, had saved his life. "You _did _understand," he whispered.

The animatronic managed to force his head around to face Mike, the lights in his eyes flickering as he struggled to maintain functionality. Without even realizing it, Mike had reached out a hand and gently placed it against the robot's damaged arm, not knowing what else he could do at that point. He was no mechanic. "You didn't have to do that, you know." He winced as the robot twitched again, an overwhelming feeling of guilt settling upon his conscience. Mike glanced downward at the fox's hand, mouth falling open slightly as he saw the black pirate's bandana clutched firmly in the fox's metal hand, right where he had left it. He slowly looked back up, his voice now lost. He could only stare silently into the fox's eyes as the light that illuminated them finally faded and his movements ceased completely.

Mike managed to gently pry the metal hand of the robot open, allowing him to retrieve the wrinkled bandana. His emotions swelled again, though he managed to keep them restrained this time. "Thank you."

Hearing a key turning the lock of the front entrance, Mike turned and looked across the dining area.

"Mike?"

"I'm here," he sighed, closing his eyes.

Phil maneuvered his way around the dining tables, spotting the young guard on the floor. "Why are you…?" Phil's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the heavily damaged Foxy on the floor. "Mike, what the hell happened here?!" he asked in alarm, going over to kneel next to the robot. "Did you do this?!"

Mike shook his head slowly, staring at the floor. "He was….trying to protect me."

Phil paused and looked over at the man, raising a brow. "Protect you?"

"From them," Mike replied as he nodded towards the stage. Phil looked between him and the battered fox on the floor, mouth agape. His disbelief didn't come as a shock, as Mike was still struggling to grapple what had just transpired here as well.

"Help me lift him," Phil sighed as he pushed himself up onto his feet, walking behind the fox's head while Mike grabbed at his legs. They both managed to hoist him off the floor and carry him back to Pirate Cove, placing him on the floor gently. Phil stepped off the stage momentarily, going back to retrieve the robot's lower jaw from the floor.

"What happened to Kyle?" Mike suddenly asked as the elder man returned to the stage and placed the jaw on the floor beside the fox. Phil looked up at him, surprised by the question.

"What?"

"Kyle. What happened that night?"

The manager frowned deeply, looking towards the floor. "It was a very close call. They managed to get into the office and get a hold of him, but he was able to break free."

"Was he hurt?"

"He ended up with a broken arm during the struggle." Phil momentarily closed his eyes and sighed as he recalled the incident. "Listen…I think it'd probably be best if….you just don't come back after today."

"Don't come back?"

Phil shook his head. "I just don't think it's worth it anymore. We've had too many close calls already. I'm not going to wait around until someone gets killed."

Mike looked from the battered animatronic on the floor to the show stage behind him. "Why don't I just finish out the week? I'll leave after tonight. I've already come this far."

Phil looked astonished. "Why in the world would you even want to come back? There's no good reason to stay here, son."

"No, there is," Mike replied softly, glancing at the elder man out of the corner of his eye. "I have my reasons, believe me."

Phil gave the man a long, hard look before finally nodding his head in understanding, though there was noticeable doubt in his eyes. He looked down at the broken robot on the floor, his confusion returning. "Why was he protecting you? He's shown nothing but hostility to every night guard we've ever had. What makes you any different?"

Mike clutched the bandana just a little bit tighter in his fist. "I…actually had ulterior motives for coming here yesterday. I didn't know what good it would do me, but I had a brief conversation with him. Well…monologue's more like it," he chuckled.

"What did you say to him?"

Mike looked away from him. "I'd rather not get into it." He glanced at the inactive animatronic out of the corner of his eye. "They're not much different than you or me. They think and feel, which you're well-aware of. You said it yourself, they're unique. They don't think I'm an endoskeleton. Foxy ripped that man's head off 'cause he was wailing on his kid. A security guard murdered those children, and it's the security guards they attack. Think about it."

"I know…I know. I already made that connection. It's just that saying they're not programmed to recognize humans after business hours seemed less terrifying than them actually being vengeful."

"I don't think it matters which way you slice it. Robots that try to stuff you in an animatronic suit is terrifying no matter what. But I see your reasoning, I guess. Tell me…are you going to get him fixed?" the younger man asked as he nodded to the fox.

Phil looked down at the robot and sighed deeply. "Probably not. I mean….I suppose we could, but it almost seems pointless. I'll see what George says."

"George?"

"George Fazbear, the founder. He'll be over here this Sunday."

Mike looked thoughtful for a moment. "What time?"

"Pretty early. The pizzeria doesn't open till eleven on Sundays, and he wanted to spend an hour or two talking a few things over with everyone regarding us closing down. This is one visit I know he's not looking forward to."

Mike looked to the floor as his thoughts drifted.

"The first shift should be coming in pretty soon. I should probably go check and make sure the kitchen's in good shape."

After watching Phil exit off the stage, Mike slowly turned his gaze to the main show stage at the front of the pizzeria. Eyes narrowing, he hopped down to the floor and stormed towards it, gripping the curtains and throwing them to the side as he stepped onto the stage. He found the three animatronics in their designated positions, still as statues. "Look here," Mike began aggressively, "I know you can hear me, so you're going to listen to every word I have to say, understood?!" he snapped as he came to stand directly in front of them. He waited momentarily for any sort of response, but much like Foxy, they were completely unresponsive. "So what, you can't get at me so you're going to take it out on him?" he continued, pointing in the direction of Pirate Cove. His glaring shifted mostly between Bonnie and Chica. "What the hell's wrong with you?! How can you do that to one of your own? You're all family, are you not? He didn't betray you if that's what you're thinking! He was trying to stop you from making a horrible mistake." He waited again, becoming somewhat frustrated that the animatronics would not respond to him. He looked to Bonnie. "I!" He looked to Freddy. "AM NOT!" He looked to Chica. "YOUR ENEMY!" He turned away and began rubbing his temples. He should have just quit after the first night like a sane person.

"I already figured it out," he continued with a sigh, looking back at the three mascots. "I know what all this is about….but I didn't kill those kids, nor did any of the previous security guards. You're taking your anger out on the wrong people. Is this the kind of legacy you want to leave behind when this place shuts down? Do you really wanna be remembered as a bunch of killer robots and nothing more? Is that the image you want to leave for these children? You're better than that, I know you are."

Mike paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "You know….I've asked myself repeatedly what compels me to keep coming back. Sure, I need the money, but….there's more to it than that." The man reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Talking about his son seemed to have resonated with the fox. Perhaps it would for them as well. "He's the reason I do this," he said as he held up a photo, the most recent photo he had prior to the diagnosis. "Do you remember him? You might not…It's been a couple of years. You sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. Thing is…it wasn't his birthday. He was very sick, and well….I knew he wasn't going to live to see his next birthday, so I just asked them if they could whip a birthday cake up for him real quick. He was pretty confused about the whole thing, but you know….I just told him celebrating a few months early wasn't going to hurt anything." He held the photo a little closer to the robots. "Please tell me you remember him." He brought it to each of their faces. "Please." Getting no response, he returned the photo to his wallet. "He loved this place, and he loved you three. He was happy here, like he didn't have a care in the world, just as he should have been, how he should have _always _been. This is why I can't bring myself to hate you, despite the grief you've given me. Being here…it makes me think of him and that brief moment of happiness."

Mike shoved his hands in his pockets and looked to the floor. "I really don't want to see this place close down, and I'm sorry. I wish I could stop it from happening." The man sighed tiredly. "I gotta go….I'll see you tonight, I guess." He gave a half-hearted wave and exited off the stage, never looking back.

ooooooo

As he stepped through the front door of his home, Mike slid his hand across the wall on his left side to turn on the overhead light. The entire living room was immediately illuminated, including the bills that were scattered across the coffee table, along with the soiled dinner plate, which he hadn't even bothered to put in the kitchen sink. He slowly closed the door, the creaking almost ear-shattering in comparison to how quiet the house was, something he still had not grown accustomed to since his son's death. Often he would keep the TV on all day just for the noise, even if he wasn't watching it.

The man turned and headed down the hallway, intending to go straight to bed, but he stopped at the closed door that sat diagonally to his own. He felt compelled to enter it this time, which wasn't quite as hard for him as it usually was. He smiled faintly as he glanced around the small bedroom, finding his son's Spiderman pajamas still strewn about on the floor where he had left them. He had left the bedroom just the way he had it, despite it being messy. It was ironic when he considered how many times he had scolded his son about keeping his room neat, but now he didn't have to heart to straighten it up. Even the bed was left unmade.

Mike leaned back against the door, his smile fading as tears burned his eyes. He slid to the floor, where he sat and wept quietly.

ooooooo

_Night Five_

Mike was mentally exhausted. This was, potentially, his final night, and just like the night before, he didn't know what to expect. He plopped down in his chair with a hard frown fixed on his face. He had lost almost all fear at this point, having grown used to the robots' constant pursuits, though that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down. He really didn't know what he'd do after tonight. He thought he'd feel nothing but relief at the prospect of leaving this place, but he really didn't know how to feel. It's not like he had another job to go to. He'd be back to square one after tonight.

He waited a few moments before finally turning his attention to the cameras. He watched the show stage for several minutes, waiting for one of the robots to make their first move. At one point, he switched his focus to Pirate Cove, though he knew there was no point in checking that camera. The curtains were completely drawn closed, and he knew they wouldn't be opening up tonight. The corner of his mouth lifted upward in a slight smile. "Won't be the same without having you to worry about. You definitely made things exciting."

Turning back to the show stage, Mike straightened up in his seat when he saw that all three animatronics had left their post. "All right, show time," he murmured. He started cycling through the cameras, starting with the east and west hallways. He was finally able to spot Bonnie in the dining area, though he noticed right away that something was up with the rabbit. Typically, the animatronics would stare directly into the cameras, as though trying to look right at him, but this time he found the large, purple bunny moseying about the dining area, looking almost…sad? Mike leaned in slightly, brows furrowing as he watched Bonnie move around the dining room, running his hand along the chairs and tables. He picked up a single party hat from one of the tables and held it in both hands, head lowering slightly.

Frowning, Mike continued searching through the other cameras, remembering hearing Charlie mention to him that they had managed to fix the camera located in the kitchen. He knew one of the animatronics liked to hang out there, as he constantly heard what sounded like pots banging around in there. Sure enough, when he clicked the kitchen camera, he spotted Chica, and her demeanor didn't seem much different than Bonnie's. She too seemed almost melancholic in the way she walked, which was odd when considering the fact that she was very limited in her expressions. But despite this, Mike was still able to read her despair. It became even more apparent when she ultimately slumped against a wall and slid to the floor, a sight that was quite startling.

_What's up with them? _he thought as he continued cycling through the cameras. He finally spotted Freddy in the west hall, just a few feet away from the camera, though he wasn't looking into the camera either. Instead, he was focusing very intently on the left wall, where he noticed multiple cartoon drawings were plastered. The bear just stood there for the longest time, staring up at those drawings. He eventually reached up with both hands, peeling one of the crayon drawings off the wall and pulling it towards him. Realization immediately set in.

"You didn't know," Mike commented quietly. "None of you knew."

He watched as the bear carefully folded the drawing and slipped it through the gap around his neck for safe keeping. The robot then turned and slowly retreated back down the hall, head hanging slightly as he went. Mike would have never thought it possible for a robot of all things to express so much despair. He couldn't believe they hadn't known the pizzeria was closing. He thought for sure they would have gotten wind of it by this point.

With the animatronics showing very little interest in pursuing him, Mike set the laptop aside and grabbed his lunch bag to retrieve his sandwich, settling back in his seat as he unwrapped it. He had only just brought the sandwich to his mouth when he heard what sounded like glass shattering, which prompted him to shoot out of his chair, dropping the uneaten sandwich to the floor. "What the hell?!" he exclaimed as he grabbed for the laptop again. He cycled through the cameras in search of the animatronics, finding Chica was still in the kitchen, only now she was peeking her head through the door, appearing to be looking for the source of the noise as well. Looking back to the dining room, he didn't see Bonnie, though he was able to spot Freddy, partially shadowed and looking towards the direction of the entrance.

Grabbing his flashlight, Mike exited the office and started down the darkened hallway. Almost immediately he noticed Bonnie standing near the end of the hallway, his back turned to him. It looked as though he had ducked into the hallway upon hearing the commotion and was now watching the situation from a safe distance. Mike's heart began pounding rapidly as he neared the rabbit, not sure what he would do once he saw him. He was able to get to the end of the hall and look across the dining area, where he saw two masked men had broken in through the front entrance.

Bonnie finally looked his way and Mike turned to look right back at him, stiffening as their eyes locked. He held his breath, wondering if the robot would lunge at him, but he just stood there, staring at him. Mike held up a hand. "Just stay there," he said softly. "I'll take care of it."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I apologize for this chapter taking so long. I've had a lot going on in the last week and it took me a while.

I was completely blown away by the response my last chapter got! I was hoping it'd get a lot of feedback, but I wasn't expecting 55 reviews! I couldn't keep up with them! Thanks, guys!

Oh yeah, and remember that part where I said this story would probably be no more than 5 chapters? Yeah….just forget I ever said that.


	6. Break In

Chapter V:** Break In**

"I'll take care of it," Mike said to the rabbit as he held up a hand. He waited momentarily before making his move, trying to read the robot's face, which was nearly impossible. He expected the machine to ignore his instructions and just attack him like it had tried to do countless times for the past four nights, but it just continued its staring. After a long silence, the purple bunny finally turned away, fixing its gaze back on the intruders near the entrance. Confident that he wasn't going to be attacked, Mike turned to the front and started forward, leaving the rabbit behind him.

The guard crouched slightly as he moved into the dining room, taking cover behind the tables and chairs. Peering up and over one of the tables, he watched as the two men seemed to be conversing with each other quietly. One appeared to be holding a large knife, while the other was carrying a crowbar, which more than likely had been used to bust the glass of the front door. He narrowed his eyes as he caught a few words of their conversation.

"Let's see if we can't get its head off first, then we'll work on cutting off the fur."

_Looks like Phil's fears were right on the money._

As he watched the two men start advancing towards Freddy, he noticed the animatronic bear take a step back. The robot certainly had every reason to be cautious of these men when they were wielding objects that could very easily be jammed into his circuits and cause serious damage. Their strength may have been beyond that of a human's, but they were far from invincible.

"Help me get its head off, Rick!" he heard one of them yell as he took a hold of the animatronic's head.

Mike drew closer to the scene, weaving his way around the tables, while still keeping low to the ground.

"Let go of me, you fucker!"

"I told you, man! These things are freaking possessed or something!"

Mike knew now was the time to make his move.

ooooooo

"So what's the plan, Lewis?"

"You've got the camera, right?"

The man nodded.

"All right, well get it ready." Lewis held up a large butcher knife. "We're gonna cut these things open and see what we can find."

"You know there's probably nothing in them, right? I mean, even if the kids _were _stuffed in those things, they surely would have cleaned them out by now."

Lewis nodded to the man's point. "Possibly, but they might not have gotten everything. It's not easy getting rid of something like that and not leaving some trace of evidence."

"And if we don't find anything?"

"Then we look for other clues. We'll search the whole place, but right now let's just focus on checking those robots."

The other man suddenly looked alarmed as he pointed over Lewis' shoulder. "Um…."

Following the man's gaze, Lewis raised his brows in surprise as he noticed the lead mascot known as Freddy standing several feet away, staring back at them. "Well, all right then. We'll start with this one. Let's see if we can't get its head off first, then we'll work on cutting off the fur."

"W-Why is that thing up and moving around?"

"They probably just forgot to hit the 'Off' switch or something," Lewis commented dismissively. He motioned for his partner to follow, raising the knife. "C'mon, Rick."

The animatronic bear took a cautious step back as he watched the two men begin to advance in his direction, not quite sure how he'd fair against a butcher knife. As his eyes shifted, he noticed Bonnie standing at the front of the west hall, and he could vaguely see Chica emerging from the open doorway which lead into the kitchen. They both appeared to be making a move towards him, but he shook his head slowly, prompting them both to halt their advancing. He suddenly felt a hand roughly grab a hold of his left ear and pull his head downward.

"Help me get its head off, Rick!"

"Lewis, that thing's freaking me out!" Rick protested, still keeping his distance.

"Stop being a coward and get over here!"

Rick reluctantly complied, approaching the animatronic and grabbing a hold of its other ear.

Gritting his teeth, Freddy grabbed at Lewis' wrist and forced his hand off and away from him, though he didn't release his grip. In fact, he tightened it to the point of causing the man to hiss in pain. "Let go of me, you fucker!" he shouted as he rammed the blade of the butcher knife into the bear's forearm, forcing him to release his grip.

"I told you, man!" Rick protested as he released his hold on the bear's head and took a step back. "These things are freaking possessed or something!"

Lewis didn't respond this time. He glared daggers at the animatronic bear, which almost looked as though it were glaring back at him. "We're turning this bastard off," he finally said. "It's probably got a control panel on its back or something. Bring your flashlight over here so I can get a better look." He started advancing towards the bear again but stopped suddenly when he found himself being blinded by a bright light. He assumed it was Rick's at first, but he was immediately caught off guard when he heard a different voice speak up.

"'Scuse me, gentlemen?" came the sarcastic greeting from Mike. The two men looked towards him, shielding their eyes as he continuously shined his flashlight in both their faces. "Yeah, hi. Look, I'm not sure if you're aware or not, but the pizzeria closed hours ago. Now, if you'd be so kind as to escort yourselves out of the gaping hole you left in the door there, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Both men remained where they stood, glancing at each other quizzically.

"What? No hablo ingles?" Mike's face hardened. "Look, I'm not playing games here. Get the hell out of here right now, or I'll-" The man stumbled back as he was suddenly struck in the jaw, grabbing onto the back of a chair to steady himself. He ran his tongue along his bottom lip, grimacing as he tasted blood. "All right, now I'm _really_ pissed."

Rick went on the offense this time, bringing his crowbar back and preparing to strike the guard right across the temple. However, Mike ducked swiftly, hearing nothing but the whoosh of air as the crowbar sliced through the space his head had once occupied. With quick movement, he rammed his elbow into the man's stomach before then striking him violently in the throat. Dropping both his flashlight and crowbar, Rick stumbled backward as he coughed and sputtered, one hand gripping his stomach while the other wrapped around his neck. Mike raised a fist and took a fighting stance, his brown eyes darting between the two men rapidly. Rick only shook his head as he turned and fled the scene.

"Where the hell are you going?!" Lewis shouted to him as he leapt over the broken glass and through the door.

"Some friend you got there," Mike quipped, smirking.

His face twisted in an angry scowl, Lewis turned and charged at the guard, knife still in hand, which was the only thing Mike was focused on at that moment. Dropping his flashlight, he grabbed a hold of the assailant's arm and twisted it roughly behind his back until the knife was finally forced from his grip, dropping to the floor with a loud clang. After kicking the knife out of the man's reach, he took a firm hold of his arm with both hands and slung him over his shoulder, throwing him into one of the tables and causing it to topple over, party hats scattering everywhere. Rage burning in his eyes, the man charged at him again, arms swinging wildly. Mike evaded each blow easily, swerving his head out of the way of each swing. Fed up with trying to land a punch, Lewis opted for tackling the leaner man. Once he had him pinned to the floor, he then proceeded to assault the back of his head with his fist repeatedly. Noticing the fallen crowbar lying directly in front of him, Mike stretched out his hand and grabbed it quickly, swinging it around and striking his attacker against the shoulder.

Mike made a futile attempt to get to his feet as he felt Lewis roll off of him, but he only managed to get to his knees before he felt himself being violently kicked in the forehead, causing him to fall backward. Hissing in pain, he lifted his hand to his forehead and immediately took note of the blood seeping from an open gash. Snarling angrily, he managed to get to his feet as the other man came at him again. Propelled by rage, he swung his fist and managed to strike the man against the temple with enough force to nearly knock him off his feet.

Gritting his teeth in anger, Lewis grabbed the back of a displaced chair and swung it back. Mike could only respond by turning away and raising his arms to shield his head as the base of the chair struck him harshly against his back, knocking him to the floor. He heard the chair being dropped to the floor before feeling himself being lifted up roughly. He looked up just in time to see a raised fist connect with his cheek, sending him stumbling back a few feet and bumping against the edge of the show stage. Gloved hands suddenly wrapped around his neck, squeezing tightly.

Mike's eyes bulged as he tried to pry off the hands that were cutting off his air supply. As he struggled to push the man off, he caught a glimpse of Freddy out of the corner of his eye, who had now reemerged from the shadows and appeared to be approaching them. "S-Stay back!" he managed to gasp as he held up a hand to the bear. "Stay out of it!" Mike repeatedly punched at the man's head until his grip on his neck loosened enough for him to break free. He managed to push him off and lifted a leg to kick him in the chest. Lewis charged again, swinging his fist and missing as Mike ducked this time. The guard turned sharply and swung his leg out, knocking the vandal's legs out from under him. He immediately leapt onto the man's chest before he could get back on his feet and held him down, reaching out a hand to pull the ski mask off his face. He raised a fist as he prepared to punch him again, but he paused as he immediately recognized him as the individual who had caused a stir the day before.

"Back so soon? You know, you really need a hobby."

Lewis briefly looked at him in confusion, but realization suddenly set in for him as well once he finally got a good look at the guard.

"I should have known you were working at this hell pit. Why else would you be trying so hard to silence me? You know all about it, don't you?! You're trying to keep it covered up!"

Mike rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I don't even think psycho therapy could restore any level of sanity you may have had." Grabbing the man by the shirt, he hauled him to his feet. "I don't think you wanna stick around this place," he said darkly. "'Cause these guys," he continued as he nodded his head towards Freddy, "don't really care for trespassers." Mike took a hold of the man's arm and twisted it behind his back, while placing his other hand to the back of his head. He urged him forward, guiding him towards the door. "Trust me, any beating I give you pales in comparison to what these guys are capable of doing." Mike roughly shoved the man through the door, never allowing himself to turn his back until the vandal was well out of sight. "I better not catch you back here ever again!" he shouted to him.

Mike heaved a sigh as he stepped back into the pizzeria, broken glass crunching loudly beneath his feet. He slowly looked up, spotting all three animatronics spread out across the dining area, all of them looking his way. "It's all right," he said tiredly. "He's gone. They're both gone." Mike lifted a hand to his head, feeling blood still oozing from the gash he had received. "It's okay, it's safe!" Looking back at the broken door, he cringed, wondering if there was any way to possibly cover up the opening. At the very least, he needed to sweep up the glass.

Mike suddenly glanced down at his hands as he realized they were shaking quite severely, along with the rest of his body. With the adrenaline rush finally subsiding, the seriousness of what had just occurred finally hit him. He began breathing erratically, and he had to place a hand against one of the tables to steady himself. He had jumped into action with very little thought, barely considering the consequences of what could happen. But it finally hit him that he could have very easily lost his life tonight, and he almost did. Shock slowly overwhelmed him, and he was unable to stop himself from collapsing to the ground, his body still trembling. He couldn't deny how ironic it was that sentient robots trying to hunt him down didn't quite scare him to this degree, but then again, things had never gotten physical with them. He had never felt their hands wrap around his throat and attempt to choke the life out of him.

Mike's eyes fluttered as he struggled to maintain consciousness, groaning softly in pain from his injuries. As he heard the faint sound of footsteps coming his way, he tried to lift his head, but he had very little strength left. Through blurry vision, he was able to make out a brown shape steadily making its way towards him. He turned his head slightly and managed to look up as the blur came so close to him that he was sure he could reach out and touch it. Just as he saw the brown blur reach towards him, his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he finally lost consciousness.

ooooooo

As he felt himself momentarily regain consciousness, he could feel himself being carried. It took every ounce of strength he had just to turn his head and glance up at the individual carrying him. The figure's face wasn't clear, as their surroundings were dark. All he could see were the eyes. Vibrant blue eyes, illuminated by a bright white light, were all he could see. Though he wasn't able to see much of the figure, he was still able to get a feel for its frame, which felt incredibly cold and solid, nothing like what a human should feel like. "Who…?"

And it was then that his memory finally caught up with him, and his confusion was quickly replaced with fear. "No…No, don't. Please…" he groaned, head rolling from side to side. His consciousness began fading again, his still bleeding head falling against his captor's chest. As his eyes fluttered closed, he found himself hoping that he wouldn't wake again. If he was going to be stuffed in a suit, he certainly didn't want to be awake for it. He didn't know if there was life after death, but if there was, he could only hope that his son would be there waiting for him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Hurray! We got to see our favorite night guard actually doing night guardy things! I'm really sorry it's taken me this long to update, and I'm really sorry you had to wait this long for a chapter that wasn't quite as long as the last lol. I actually debated with myself on how far I wanted this chapter to go, and I ultimately decided that this was a good place to end it, even if it did cut down on the length significantly. I try not to let myself obsess over length too much. Long chapters are great, but they're not more important than the story you're trying to tell.

For those who may be wondering, no, this story won't have a sequel. The ending will be conclusive enough that there won't be any need for one. Not only that….I'm just not that creative lol. However, as I was developing this story, I did get an idea for a one-shot, which was inspired by the events of this particular chapter. I don't know when, or if I'll ever get around to writing it, but I want to try and wrap up this story before I focus on anything else.

Once again, thanks so much for all the amazing feedback!


	7. Gratitude

Chapter VI: **Gratitude**

"Mike? _Mike?!" _

The voice sounded distant and almost muffled. He could feel himself being shaken gently, which finally seemed to rouse him from his state of unconsciousness. He groaned and winced as he straightened up in his chair, raising a hand to his aching head. "What…What time is it?"

"It's fifteen after six. Jesus, son, what the hell happened here tonight?"

Mike stilled slightly, and his eyes widened as he regained his memory of the two men entering the pizzeria. He trailed a finger across his forehead, feeling something soft and smooth placed against his gash. A band-aid, no doubt. "A couple of guys broke in here pretty early into my shift." Mike glanced up to meet the elder man's gaze. "Remember when you said you were worried someone might try to break in to open up the robots?"

"No…."

Mike nodded, smirking slightly. "Oh, but wait…it gets better," he added sarcastically, holding up a finger. "Remember that idiot that was in here the other day and caused a stir?"

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am," Mike laughed.

"Well, you know what…that's perfect. Because I'll bet you anything I could go through the security footage from that day and get a good shot of his face." The manager was about to head straight for the phone to call the police but he paused as he gave Mike another look over. "What happened exactly? How'd you get them to leave?"

"Well…one of them scurried out of here pretty fast, but the other one, the guy who was in here the other day, was a bit of a challenge. He got a few good hits in, I won't lie. After I finally managed to get his ass out of here, I just…sort of became overwhelmed. I think the shock of the situation finally started setting in, and…I just passed out in the middle of the dining room."

"So how'd you end up back in the office?"

Mike looked up at the man, his brows furrowing. "Huh?"

"You said you passed out in the dining room. How'd you wind up back in here?"

Mike blinked. "I….I thought you brought me here."

"Son, I just got here. This is how I found you. I came inside, saw the dining room was a mess and came looking for you."

"Well…someone had to have brought me here, 'cause I…" Mike's voice trailed off as he vaguely remembered waking up for just a brief moment, feeling himself being carried in cold, solid arms. He looked to Phil as realization set in, and it seemed as though the elder man had come to the same conclusion he had, though neither one of them made a comment about it.

Phil went over to snatch the phone off the receiver, quickly dialing the authorities. "We're probably gonna have to open the pizzeria a few hours late."

ooooooo

After answering a few standard questions for the police, Mike had taken a seat at one of the tables while they finished up. Phil had been quick to search through the security footage and managed to find a good shot of the perp from the outside camera, which he quickly handed over to the authorities. It was after eight o' clock before the police finally filed out of the pizzeria, their evidence and notes in hand. He promptly rejoined the still frazzled Mike. "I have a feeling they'll find him pretty quick. I found a good, clear shot of his face. Once they nab him, he'll probably rat out his friend."

Not receiving a reply from the younger man, Phil furrowed his brows in concern. "You all right?"

"Huh? Oh…yeah, sorry. I'm just sort of out of it right now."

Phil surveyed the damage of the dining room. "That must have been one hell of a fight. I gotta say…that was a pretty bold move to try and take on two guys like that. A little _too_ bold."

"Well….I took mixed martial arts when I was younger, so I had a bit more confidence than I would if I hadn't. But…I realized pretty quick how rusty I've gotten over the years."

"Still, though….it probably would have been best if you had stayed in the office and used the phone to call the police."

"Well shit, what did you hire me for, then? I'm a security guard, remember? You sure as hell didn't hire me to scrub the toilets."

Phil chuckled lightly. "I realize that, but…it's one thing when you're dealing with rowdy teenagers who are just looking to trash the place. It's another thing when you've got armed men breaking in here. In cases like that…it's probably best to just observe and report."

Mike sighed. "Well, the thing is, I wasn't sure what their intentions were. I didn't know if they were actually looking to rob the place, or what. So when I realized they were trying to take apart the animatronics, I just figured they were a couple of morons who I could easily scare off. I didn't even think I'd _have _to fight them. So much for that."

"Yeah…definitely not a bright idea on your part."

Mike glanced at the man through narrowed eyes. "Well, while we're on the subject of 'bright ideas', whose bright idea was it to _not _have a security system installed in this place?" Mike couldn't help but smirk triumphantly when he noticed the manager avert his gaze. "Ooh, slammer."

"We _did _have one not long ago, but the system was way outdated and was removed. We had planned on upgrading, but….with talk about the restaurant having to close, we just didn't see the point in spending the money. We _did _buy one of those cheap alarms that you can mount on the door. Burglars don't know the damn difference. Of course, the thing malfunctioned and wouldn't turn off, so Charlie just took it outside and smashed it with a hammer. Shoulda just kept the old system..."

Mike glanced towards the stage. "You ugh….might want to have a look at Freddy's arm," he said as he rose out of his chair, wincing as the movement caused pain to his bruised back. "I remember seeing the guy stab it with his knife. There's probably a pretty noticeable gash in the suit, so you might wanna have a look."

Phil frowned as he noticed Mike heading towards the door. "Are you sure you're all right to go home?"

Mike quickly dismissed his concern. "Trust me, I'm fine. I've done more damage to myself trying to make breakfast." He continued towards the door, his movements very slow.

"Hold up a sec, Mike," Phil called after him as he started reaching into the pocket of his jacket. Mike stopped at the door and glanced back at the man curiously as he approached, a white envelope in hand. Phil was silent as he handed it to him.

"What's this?"

"Your check."

Pulling the check out of the envelope, Mike was confused when he saw the amount written on the check was not the amount the ad in the paper had advertised. "Wait….I think you made a mistake. It was only supposed to be a hundred and twenty."

"It's not a mistake," Phil asserted before turning to walk away without another word, leaving Mike to stare after him in mild astonishment. After a brief pause, he finally turned to exit the restaurant, his two hundred dollar check in hand.

ooooooo

Mike glanced at this watch as he approached the front doors of the pizzeria. It was just after nine o' clock, so he knew the pizzeria wasn't open yet, though he still tried tugging on the newly-fixed door to see if it would open. Seeing that it was locked, he quickly knocked twice, catching a glimpse of a figure inside, whose identity he wasn't able to see until the person came within feet of the door.

"Hey, Charlie," Mike greeted as the door swung open.

"Mike, what're you doing here? I figured you were done with this place."

"Well…Phil mentioned Mr. Fazbear being here this morning."

"Yeah…?"

"Well, is he still here?"

Charlie glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah…he's still here," he replied, glancing back at the younger man with a perplexed gaze. "Did you need to speak with him about something?"

"If he's not busy right now, yes, I'd like to."

Charlie only nodded, stepping aside to allow Mike entry into the pizzeria. After closing and locking the door behind him, he led him inside and towards the show stage, where he noticed the curtains were open and a man he perceived to be Mr. Fazbear was standing before the animatronics, appearing to be speaking to them. Mike frowned slightly and glanced at Charlie, who acknowledged his need for context.

"He wanted to speak to them last," he said solemnly. "This decision to shut our doors affects them more than anyone else here. Their future is the most uncertain. I don't even think George knows what'll happen to them yet." Sighing, Charlie turned and walked away, leaving Mike alone with the man. He took a few steps towards the stage, Mr. Fazbear's words becoming clearer as he drew closer.

"I don't think I can ever apologize enough. I know this place is all you've ever known….and I thought I could keep it going. I let you down….and I'm sorry. You're the heart and soul of this restaurant."

Mike watched, his breath hitching in his throat as he saw Freddy's head suddenly lift with a light click, the lights in his eyes flickering to life. The bear made no other movements or made any noise. He just stood there, staring straight into the man's eyes, which, to Mr. Fazbear at least, seemed to convey a clearer message than actual words ever could. "I know, son, I know," he said softly, reaching out to gently place his hand atop the animatronic's head.

It was at that moment that Mike cleared his throat, finally bringing the man's attention to his presence. "Umm…I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was really hoping I could talk to you for a minute. My name's Mike Schmidt."

Mr. Fazbear nodded his head eagerly as he made his way to the left end of the stage. "Yes, yes, Mike, how are you?" he greeted with a smile as he closed the curtains and hopped down onto the floor. "I've already heard a good deal about you." He reached his hand out to him without hesitation and Mike quickly shook it. "I really wanted to thank you personally for chasing away those vandals the other night."

"It was no big deal," Mike replied quietly, waving off the comment. "Ugh…I kind of wanted to talk to you about the restaurant."

"Certainly," George replied with a nod. "Would you like a soda?"

"No, thank you, I'm good."

"Well, follow me to the office, then."

Mike nodded as he followed after the elder man, already feeling quite at peace in his presence. He seemed like a genuinely kind and gentle man, but there was no hiding the despair in his eyes.

Once they were in the office, Mr. Fazbear did some quick straightening up, filing a few papers away and disposing of an empty soda cup. "Go ahead and pull up a chair," he said as he took a seat at the desk. As he watched the younger man settle down in his chair, he could feel his curiosity getting the better of him. "You know….Phil's told me quite a bit about your experience with the animatronics. I'm truly astounded. You've managed to connect with them in a way that no other security guard has done, or has even _tried _to do. I just have to know….what did you do differently?"

"I…." Mike sighed, slumping in his chair. "I knew pretty early on that there was more to them than what I was being told. I stopped trying to understand _how _they were doing what they were doing, and instead focused on _why _they were doing it. And then….I just reached out to them." Mike laced his hands together and placed them in his lap. "I stopped viewing them as just things and tried to view them as people. And knowing what I know now, I have to ask….what happens to them once this place closes?"

Mr. Fazbear sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Really….there's only a couple of options, none of them really good ones. They would either be dismantled and scrapped, or….locked away in a storage facility."

Mike's face fell at hearing that.

"I know. I can't bear the thought of them being destroyed, but locking them up in some storage unit forever churns my stomach, too. Whatever would ultimately be decided, I would just shut them off and not tell them. They just don't need to know."

"Is there nothing you can do to keep this place open?"

"I'm afraid there's just too much bad history here. Between a man nearly getting his whole head ripped off, and the murders, this place is on the verge of flatlining. I'm afraid it's time we pull the plug."

Mike looked down at his hands again, his brows furrowing in thought. "What if you just….started over?"

"Started over?"

"Yeah, start over. Close down and reopen. Not here, but somewhere else entirely."

Mike wasn't surprised by the look of doubt in the elder man's eyes. It was easier said than done, after all.

"Mike….it's not that I haven't considered that option. The thing is….to do what you're suggesting, it would be incredibly costly. First, there's finding a location and doing all the remodeling. It would just be a lot of time and money, which could very easily end up being wasted."

"You don't know that for certain. I mean…I think a lot of the animosity people have with this place is the fact that they're eating in a restaurant where a horrible crime took place. If you moved somewhere else, that may take away some of the discomfort people have."

"It may, but again, it's a big risk, financially. Some people just aren't that forgiving, I'm afraid."

"But isn't it still worth trying? How else are you gonna know unless you try?"

"And what if the business flops?"

Mike shrugged. "Well, then at least you'll know, and you can dust your hands off and be done with it once and for all. But if you don't at least try, then you'll just spend the rest of your life wondering."

Mr. Fazbear leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily. "Forgive me, but I'm very curious as to why you'd want me to keep this business afloat. Why do you seem so adamant about this?"

For a moment, Mike averted his gaze as he pondered an honest answer. "Well…despite everything, I guess I don't want to see anything bad happen to them, either. But also…I have more….personal reasons. This was the last place my son visited….before he passed," he finished quietly. "This was the place he chose. I wanted to take him somewhere special because…I knew he didn't have long." Mike lifted a hand to his face, trying to be discreet as he wiped away the welling tears, but he knew the other man saw. "I can't bring myself to hate them," he continued. "They made my son happy, so….I feel like I owe it to them….and especially Foxy. I might not even be alive if not for him."

"I see," Mr. Fazbear replied gently, slowly nodding his head.

"Look…I have lots of ideas, and I'm willing to help with the whole thing. Whatever it takes."

Mr. Fazbear chuckled. "And it wouldn't cut into your social life?"

"In case you haven't noticed, those guys _are _my social life."

The elder man leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. "All right, listen….I can give this a try, but like I said….it's a big risk. Obviously, the restaurant will still close next month, but I'll start searching around for any available properties. It'll be a pretty long process."

"What about Foxy?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Foxy. Are you going to reopen his attraction?"

Mr. Fazbear held up a hand. "Now hold on, son. I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself. If I reintroduce him, it may very well kill any chances this business has of reclaiming its former glory."

"Wasn't Foxy _part _of that former glory?"

"Look…it's not that I don't want to bring him back. I hated that we had to put him out of service, but we weren't given much choice."

"You _know _it wasn't a malfunction. He was trying to protect that kid."

"I know that, Mike. God, don't you think I know that? I know it's not fair to him, but the public doesn't know it wasn't a malfunction, and they _can't _know that. I can't exactly tell them we have sentient robots that are capable of resorting to violence, even _if _their intentions are noble."

"Then just lie. Pretend he's a different model."

"What?"

"If people honestly thought it was a malfunction, then just say you scrapped the old model and replaced him with a new one. It's worth a try," Mike answered as though it was the most obvious solution.

Mr. Fazbear sighed heavily. "I'll have to think about that one, Mike. I can't promise anything."

The younger man nodded slowly. "Can you…at least fix him? Even if you can't reopen Pirate Cove, could you just get him fixed?"

There was the smallest of smiles from the elder man. "That I can do."

Relief surged within him, and Mike found himself smiling back.

Mr. Fazbear laced his hands together. "Now I have a question for _you_."

Mike raised his brows curiously.

"Are you staying on as the night watchman?"

ooooooo

After exiting the office, Mike immediately headed for the show stage, his lips stretching into a wide smile. He scurried up the steps and slipped behind the curtains. "All right, I'm about to make your day," he said as he stepped onto the stage. "You guys might not be going out of business after all. I suggested to Mr. Fazbear that he close this place down and reopen it somewhere else. It's a long shot, but it's probably the only chance this place has of staying afloat."

As usual, there was no response from any of the robots, but Mike knew they were listening.

"Now…you guys might not like the changes. Obviously the restaurant's still going to close next month, and…you guys _will _be shut off temporarily. Maybe a few months. But…when you all wake up, you'll be waking up to a new home and hopefully a better future. They're planning on spiffing you all up, too and making the new place look more modern. And if the reopening does well, Mr. Fazbear has plans to add other attractions, like an arcade to appeal to some of the older kids." Mike's smile suddenly widened. "And Foxy's going to be fixed….and may even get to perform again. It's not a sure thing, but there's hope at least." The man took a moment to pause as he shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes scanning each of the animatronics with a much fonder gaze than he had just days ago. It was then that he recalled something the previous security guard had said in his first message:

_"So remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children, and we need to show them a little respect, right?"_

_Right._

"And I'm staying. I don't plan on quitting. I mean…I can't promise I'll stay here _forever,_ but I do plan to stick around for a good while. I didn't think I would, honestly, but…it's not so bad," he finished with a shrug. "I'll be seeing ya."

As the man turned to exit the stage, he felt something grip his arm suddenly, forcing him to stop and look back. Freddy slowly lifted his head, making eye contact with the startled man. Though no words were spoken, Mike still understood.

"You're welcome."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay, I'm really, really sorry this chapter has taken so long, but I've really hit a rough patch with my writing. I don't know that'd I'd call it writer's block necessarily, because I know what I want to write, it's just the desire to do so is incredibly lacking. And I've been getting lots of ideas for new stories, but I'm completely lost on ways to write them, which is incredibly frustrating. I'm almost certain this story will be completed though. And I can say with about 98% certainty that this story will have just 2 more chapters. And….this is hard to believe, but if I manage to finish this thing, this will be the first multi-chapter story that's more than 3 chapters that I will have actually completed in more than a decade. I've been on this site for almost 12 years, and I've started countless stories that i've never been able to finish.

And wow, FNAF 2 is out and causing quite a storm! I was shocked it had such an early release! And I was even MORE shocked to learn it appears to be a prequel. I have a strong suspicion there's going to be a third game, and I feel like everything we've learned from these two games is going to come full circle in the next game, if there is one.

I've noticed a spike in reviews, faves and follows for this story in the days following its release, so thank you very much! I know this story has been shot full of holes now that FNAF2 is out, but oh well. Please keep in mind that I post updates on the progress of my stories on my profile, and I also post updates on my tumblr. Also, the next chapter may take a while, as I'm kind of uncertain on how I'm going to write it.


End file.
